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The editor-in-chief of AORN’s Guidelines for Perioperative Practice answers the most common sterile technique questions from AORN’s Clinical Consult line. From wound classification to handling expired items, here’s what every perioperative team should know.

Clear communication is as vital to safe surgery as clinical skill. Learn how one facility’s Patient Ambassador program improved patient satisfaction, eased anxiety, and strengthened team collaboration.

Test your general perioperative knowledge with this crossword puzzle.

The AORN Guideline for Specimen Management outlines evidence-based practices to ensure the safe handling of surgical specimens from collection through disposal. It addresses critical processes such as labeling, containment, preservation, and transport, while also providing protocols for handling radioactive materials, forensic evidence, and explanted devices.

Get evidence-based answers to four common surgical attire questions—covering head coverings, scrub jackets, skirts in the OR, and PPE protocols.

My career in perioperative nursing spans over 30 years, during which I have experienced many significant milestones that have shaped my professional journey and gained many insights that I believe are worth sharing.

Learn how to provide outstanding onboarding that minimizes risks to patients, staff members, and the overall facility.

Governor Josh Stein signed HB 67, an omnibus healthcare workforce reforms bill which included surgical smoke evacuation language, into law.

Radiation exposure in the OR is often invisible—but the risks are real. This summary of the AORN Guideline for Radiation Safety highlights essential strategies to reduce exposure, protect pregnant team members, and maintain regulatory compliance in surgical settings.

AORN CEO David Wyatt discusses how the organization is helping nurses reconnect with their purpose through trusted Guidelines, innovative education delivery, and support for a changing workforce—while leading critical conversations on AI, equity, and the future of surgical care.

Contamination of the C-arm drape happens fast—especially at the top of the image intensifier during lateral positioning. AORN’s expert shares where contamination risks are highest and how to reduce exposure using safer draping techniques and practices from the Guideline for Sterile Technique.

Staffing remains one of the most complex and persistent challenges perioperative nurse executives face, from daily coverage to long-term workforce planning. Fluctuating surgical volumes, siloed decision-making, and time-consuming manual workflows make it difficult to balance cost control, operational efficiency, and staff satisfaction.

Discover what it takes for perioperative nurse executives to lead beyond the OR. David Wyatt, CEO and Executive Director of AORN, shares insights on executive leadership, strategic vision, and how nurse leaders can confidently step into the C-suite.

Test your general perioperative knowledge with this crossword puzzle.

Caring for patients through their surgical journey is a big job—families and loved ones trust us and believe that evidence-based care will be delivered. So, speak up and continue to ask questions until you have the knowledge you need to take care of the patients under your watch.

An effective time out prevents wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-person surgery.

This week, we come together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the surgical time out.

National Time Out Day draws attention to the need for everyone on the surgical team to pause before the procedure begins in order to make sure all are on the same page about the right patient, right site and right procedure. As we mark this milestone, we shift our focus from recognizing the importance of the surgical time out to ensuring that surgical teams are making adequate time for the time out.

A routine relief shift turned into a powerful reminder of why surgical teams must never skip the Time Out. When a nurse noticed a mismatch between the consent and the patient’s account, her quick action—and her team's calm, collaborative response—prevented a wrong-site surgery.

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